2016 Beta 250 RR Race Edition Review

These exclusive models arrive shortly after the launch of the new 2016 standard edition range.

Besides benefiting from certain new features already present on the standard RR models, the new “Racing” version of Beta’s RR presents innovations in terms of chassis, electronics, and also added features for race use. RR Race editions will be available in 250 – 300 2T and 350 – 430 – 480 4T engine sizes.

The RR Racing versions include a high-end suspension package that includes:

A new Sachs fork with a closed cartridge. This fork is the result of a long collaboration between Beta and Sachs, German know-how and Italian experience in the off-road sector. Several tests, including on-track data acquisition, computer simulations and laboratory tests, have allowed this top performance fork to be developed. The large volume of the internal closed cartridge allows for consistent and stable action as the operating temperatures and conditions change. This, along with the fork spring provides stable front end feel without the side effects of an all-air fork. All oil circuits have been carefully designed to eliminate any turbulence or cavitation and to provide more precise braking control during the rebound and compression stroke. The new fork is also fitted with low-friction fork seals to improve the smoothness while still providing excellent protection and sealing.

The rear shock has been re-valved for racing situations applications to improve feel and stability under extreme conditions.

Electronics

New electronics distinguish the RR Racing from the rest of the range:

A control unit with dual mapping and a switch on the handlebar allows riders to quickly change from a “soft” setting, which provides better traction on slippery terrain, to a “hard” setting, which allows for the best performance in premium riding conditions.

Premix

Pure race bike needs premix to save weight:

Unlike the standard RR models, all 2T RR Race Editions require pre-mixing for the oil and gas. Serious racers demand the lightest machines thus the Beta engineers removed this feature to reduce a small amount of weight from the bike.

Special components

All the aesthetic touches of a real Racing motorcycle are also included:

Front quick release axle pull. It speeds up the tyre repairs, which is very useful during a race as it saves precious seconds.

Modern and robust RR Vertigo hand guards with “In Mould” graphics; ideal in the most extreme off-road riding.

Black, lightweight and robust aluminium footrests with a wider contact surface and steel pins that provide maximum grip in all conditions without reducing any durability.

Betamotor has always been connected with the history and evolution of life on two wheels. The company was founded in Florence in 1904 under the name “SocietÃ Giuseppe Bianchi”, for building handmade bicycles. At the end of the 1940s, with the changes that had taken place in Italian society and the development of motorised transport, the company switched to motorcycle production. The simple expedient of attaching an engine with a roller transmission to one of its bicycles, a typical example of Italian creativity, resulted in the first motorbike produced by the Tuscan firm.

The two men who ran the company, Enzo Bianchi and Arrigo Tosi, joined their initials to form the brand-name Beta, and the company’s bikes have been sold under this name ever since.

The CERVO 48 was the first model to be put on the market. It featured transmission by a rubberised roller acting directly on the rear tyre, alongside a chain for starting and final drive. In 1948, the company launched the CIGNO, which was powered by a single-cylinder 48cc motor. Its double cradle frame, telescopic forks and shock absorbers gave it a very sporty look.

In 1950, Beta entered the more demanding 125cc class with the production of the ITAL-JAP 125, fitted with pressed-steel girder forks and telescopic rear shocks.

Another model launched in the ’50s was the M.T. 175: derived from competition bikes, the M.T. used a two-stroke single-cylinder engine capable of reaching 81 mph. A touring version was subsequently developed, the S.V 175.

A wide range of road bikes was produced in this period, with a tendency towards sportiness. The ASTRO 98, MERCURIO 150, FOLGORE 175 and ORIONE 200 are only some of the models fitted with single-cylinder four-stroke pushrod engines, delivering quite a respectable performance for the time. In the 1960s, Beta began in-house production of the motors which from then on would be fitted across the range. The development of new models went hand in hand with a commitment to competition: the ’50s saw Beta’s first successes in Hillclimbing, Motogiro and in the Milan-Taranto race, with its 175cc models.

In the ’70s, with the emergence of the off-road sector, Beta began to specialise more and more in the production of off-road vehicles. This specialisation has always been accompanied by a matching commitment in the area of competition, the test-bench for excellence in the production of Beta motorcycles – initially in motocross and enduro, trial from the early ‘80s and Enduro since 2006. The close involvement with motorcycle racing led to the victory of 7 Trial Outdoor World Championships, 6 Trial Indoor World Championships, 7 European Championships and over 100 National Championships all around the World.

In 2004, the Beta marque returned to four-stroke enduro with a major investment both in product development and in its presence on the competition track. In this new field, Beta remains faithful to its mission, that is to inspire in motorcyclists a natural and instinctive riding style. Highly technical and sports-oriented the DNA of its bikes may be, but they still need to transmit optimum feel and deliver maximum fun.

In 2004 Beta presents the first 4-stroke engine designed and specifically dedicated to Trial, enlarging its range and making its brand becoming increasingly synonymous with the sport.

Year 2010 represents a milestone in the Beta’s history: the birth of the 4-stroke engine enduro. This allows Beta to become completely independent in the production and gradually increase its presence in this market.

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